Smallwood Has Left The Building

It's difficult because there are so many variables such as a defensive mindset and shape, an excellent bank of 4 in front of the defence, a keeper that has a worldie year or even sometimes just due to sheer stupid luck over a season.

To fire your argument back at you though, how can 1/3 of our back 3 (in the 30 games that he started) be not good enough in your opinion yet the overall defence be a 'great defence'? The answer? The variables.

 

I’m not sure which of those variables mentioned applied to us, it was a good bank of 4 in front on the most part but changed so much through the season. I’d go with the defensive mindset and shape, GA certainly knows how to organise a defence and looks at the team unit more than the individuals. We certainly didn’t go out and make any markee signings at the back last season, Byrne and Baldwin had big question marks and underwhelming CVs, but we had an excellent defence. Again this season we haven’t and probably won’t sign any centre half that wows us but I have confidence that they’ll be a well drilled unit again. Tilt for example had most city fans puzzled but GA will know what he can bring and how he fits into his team of 3/5 at the back. He made a solid unit out of (bar shepherd) uninspiring signings and I back him to do it again

 

Yeah, I agree it was partly how we set up but as we saw at the end of the season, we also had an excellent shield in front of the 3.

GA being a defender himself probably helps with organisation too.

 

Explained in detail why Smallwood was let go-I tend to agree why now.

 

Answered it well but sugar coated it respectfully imo. Reading between the lines Smallwood would have been an expensive problem as he wasnt guaranteed games. And someone who was captain, vocal and looked up to by the rest of the group - GA got it spot on.

 

I wouldn’t expect him to go into private conversations in detail, no need whatsoever. Absolutely nothing to be gained with “ he said, she said” nonsense. Smallwood has had two opportunities , without any comeback from the club, to say his piece. No real need for us to say anything of substance. Credit to GA, he dealt with it like a proper manager should.

 

I can understand why we let him go if GA didn’t think he would play every week in L1. But we’ve also lost Khela, his replacement last year, and not replaced him have we? Or is Power a direct replacement?? He must be on a big wage?

Patto could play the role but is unlikely to play 46 games given his past record here, and he’s better bombing forward rather than anchoring anyway.

does anyone else expect a Smallwood replacement to arrive? Or is Power it?

 

Thats what I've been asking. We cant be going into the season with Power and a kid. We got lucky with Khela but we all know we've had some poor loans too.

 

I imagine one of the loans will be a holding midfielder.

 

who may have played against City last year

 

You cant leave it there mate .

 

played for Donny on loan, about 30 games

 

Patrick Kelly?

 

Possibly, he's with the first team squad in Germany with about 10 other u21s some of whom were on loan last year. The pattern appears to be two loans before first team (if good enough, which is not a high bar currently )

 

Interesting Colin…Would it be more likely he’d go back to Donny based on they have gone up a step too therefore challenging him even more ?.,

 

Gone to Tranmere one year deal.

 

G good signing for them!

 

Rarely do two season loans, trying to think of one we've done before. Cullen was one and a half, but I'm pretty sure that was despite Rahic.